The San Diego Chargers vs. The Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field in Denver. Thomas Keiser intercepts in the 4th quarter allowing the Chargers to score again with a field goal making the final score 27-20.
— Sean M. Haffey

The San Diego Chargers vs. The Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field in Denver. Thomas Keiser intercepts in the 4th quarter allowing the Chargers to score again with a field goal making the final score 27-20.
— Sean M. Haffey

The San Diego Chargers vs. The Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field in Denver. Thomas Keiser intercepts in the 4th quarter allowing the Chargers to score again with a field goal making the final score 27-20.
— Sean M. Haffey

The San Diego Chargers vs. The Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field in Denver. There were Charger fans although few and far between at the game to witness the 27-20 win over the Broncos.
— Sean M. Haffey

So when a group of perpetual duds was tasked with stopping the league's ultimate stud, it seemed like the equivalent of trying to blow out a forest fire. But then something inexplicable happened. The stud went thud.

"Credit their defense," said Manning, whose team fell to San Diego 27-20 to drop to 11-3 on the season. "The Chargers played better than us today."

Coming into the game, it was conceivable that the Chargers (7-7) would put up more points than Denver come 0:00. But this would only be possible if Philip Rivers somehow outslugged Manning toward a combined score that threatened triple digits.

Nowhere was it predicted that the San Diego D would transform the hare into the tortoise. With no one was it thought that Denver's juggernaut offense would become the jugger-not.

After the Broncos' opening drive, in which they took seven plays to move 67 yards and score seven points, Samson's hairline began receding. Manning was never magic again. And it was all because of his opponent.

"I had no doubt, just by the way every one approached it," said Chargers safety Eric Weddle, who ran through the tunnel after the game yelling "if you didn't pick us, I'm not giving you a quote!" "We had extreme confidence -- the focus, the belief, everyone was tuned in."

The Broncos came into the game averaging an NFL high 465 yards per game. Thursday night, they had 295. Manning came into the game averaging 347 passing yards and 3.4 touchdown passes. Thursday night, he threw for 289 and two, respectively.

More impressive than the stats was the consistency in which the Bolts prevented Denver from moving the chains. Five times, Denver went three and out, and in the end, went down and out.

"It was very impressive. We knew we had to make plays, and we knew we had to keep fighting," said Chargers cornerback Richard Marshall. "With (Manning), it's a different level. But we kept him from getting those deep shots."

Some of Manning's incompletions came as result of tight coverage in which his target simply couldn't break free. Other times, Chargers like Weddle rose up over Denver's offensive line to bat down the ball. In the most celebratory case, it was San Diego linebacker Thomas Keiser picking off Peyton on the Broncos' 39 with 5:17 remaining in the game and San Diego leading 24-17.

A Nick Novak field goal almost three minutes later would ice the game.

"An outstanding team performance. A lot of big plays at critical moments of the game. The interception at the end of the game -- outstanding," said Chargers coach Mike McCoy. "Give (Chargers defensive coordinator) John Pagano and the defensive staff all the credit in the world. What they did, what we've done defensively with the players included there, the way we've played the game -- that's what the game is all about."

Who knows what San Diego's defense will look like in their remaining two games. The team has been cut up by far inferior offenses throughout the season and have yet to show that one week's performance will forecast the next.

But Thursday night proved that, when everything comes together, the Bolts are potent on both sides of the ball. Manning slowed down Thursday. Let's see if the Chargers' D does, too.